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PCI Express™ interface

The motherboard fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect technology that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by carrying data in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible with existing PCI specifications. See page 1-22 for details.

64-bit CPU support

The motherboard supports 64-bit processors that provides high-performance computing and faster memory access required for memory and data intensive applications.

Serial ATA technology

The motherboard supports the Serial ATA technology through the Serial ATA interfaces and the Intel® ICH7 DH chipset. The SATA specification allows for thinner, more flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement, and up to 300 MB/s data transfer rate.

8-channel high definition audio

The onboard Realtek® ALC882 8-channel high-definition audio CODEC provides 192 KHz/ 24-bit audio output, jack-sensing and restasking functions. With the 8-channel audio ports and S/PDIF interfaces, you can connect your computer to home theater decoders to produce crystal-clear digital audio.

S/PDIF digital sound ready

The motherboard supports the S/PDIF Out function through the S/PDIF interfaces at midboard. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful audio and speaker systems. See page 1-31 for details.

Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoring

The CPU temperature is monitored by the ASIC (integrated in the Winbond Super I/O) to prevent overheating and damage. The system fan rotations per minute (RPM) is monitored for timely failure detection. The ASIC monitors the voltage levels to ensure stable supply of current for critical components. See pages 2-32 and 2-33 for details.

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Chapter 1: Product introduction